President-elect Trump wants to “save” the popular Chinese social media app TikTok, according to his reform team – even as the Supreme Court considers implementing a federal law that could ban it in the US.
When asked Wednesday about a Washington Post report that Trump might issue an order to block TikTok, Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., Trump’s national security adviser, suggested that Trump might consider such a move.
“If the Supreme Court upholds the law, President Trump has been very clear. First of all, TikTok is a platform used by many Americans and has contributed to his campaign and spreading his message,” Waltz told Fox News’ Bret. Baier. “But number two, you’re going to protect their data. You’re a vendor. I don’t want to go ahead of our higher orders, but we’re going to create this space to put that deal in place.”
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President-elect Trump wants to “save” the popular Chinese social media app TikTok, according to his transition team. (Getty Images)
Caroline Leavitt, a spokeswoman for the Trump-Vance transition, emphasized that Thursday.
“President Trump has repeatedly expressed his desire to save TikTok, and there is no better marketer than Donald Trump,” Leavitt told Fox News Digital.
The latest law that gives the company nine months to break away from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, or be removed from US-based app stores and hosting services was the subject of oral arguments heard by the Supreme Court in January.
Trump’s lawyers filed an amicus brief in the case in December, urging the Supreme Court to delay a potential ban until after Trump takes office.
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There are about 170 million American users on the social media app, data shows. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
The Supreme Court’s decision on the fast-tracking case will determine whether the Protection of Americans from Foreign Enemy Controlled Applications Act – a law signed by President Biden that passed Congress in April with bipartisan approval – will be applied and limit US access to the app.
There are about 170 million American users on the social media app, data shows.
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While Trump tried to block the app from reaching the US during his first administration, he thanked TikTok for reaching young voters during the 2024 presidential campaign.
Fox News Digital reached out to TikTok for comment and did not receive a response by press time.
Fox News Digital’s Breanne Deppisch contributed to this report.
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